This invention relates generally to inkjet printing, and more particularly, to fixer fluid application to inkjet print media.
An inkjet printing mechanism is a type of non-impact printing device which forms characters, symbols, graphics or other images by controllably spraying drops of ink using an inkjet printhead. Inkjet printing mechanisms may be employed in a variety of devices, such as printers, plotters, scanners, facsimile machines, copiers, and the like. An inkjet printhead includes chambers which receive ink. Associated with each chamber is a nozzle forming an ejection outlet for the ink. During printing, ink drops are expelled from selective nozzles in a controlled pattern. The ink drops dry on the media sheet shortly after deposition to form a desired image (e.g., text, chart, graphic or other image).
Inks used in inkjet printing mechanisms may be composed of water-soluble organic solvents, surfactants, and colorants in a predominantly aqueous fluid. When a recording is made on plain paper, the deposited colorants retain some mobility, which can manifest as bleed, poor edge acuity, feathering or inferior density/chroma. These features adversely impact text and image quality. It is desirable to reduce these adverse impacts.